Toy crane



F. H. STICKLE Sept. 4, 1951 TOY CRANE u s 1 m 5 MM Mn M m M 5 0 A 2 Filed April 24, 1948 Patented Sept. 4, 195 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,567,083 TOY CRANE. Fred H. Stickle; Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application April 24, 1948', Serial No. 23,031 15 claims. (01. 212- 21) This invention relates to improvements in toy cranes, more particularlytoy cranes of the overhead traveling type intended for use in conned tion with miniature electric railway systems.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a crane of this type employing a single electric motor for propelling the crane car and operating a hoist carried by the car.

Another object is the provision of remote control means for governing the action of the crane to propel the car in either direction and operate the hoist up or down, and for interrupting their action at will.

Another object is the provision in such a crane of a lifting magnet operated by the hoist under a remote control separate from and independent of the car and hoist controls.

Still another object is the provision of simple gear shift mechanism operated electrically under remote control for driving the car propelling means or hoist operating means selectively.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of those embodiments of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have mustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a crane embodying the invention. I

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the principal operating mechanism, certain parts being removed to better illustrate the invention.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the car propelling means.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of a portion of the hoist operating means.

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken substan= tially on the line 5-5' of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially on the line 6"6 of Fig. l and showing the parts on an enlarged scale.

Fig. '7 is a fragmental plan view on an enlarged scale showing a modified form of drive and gear shift mechanism.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of the same, partially in section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, and I Fig 9 is a wiring diagram.

Referring to Fig. 1, I and II are two spaced trestles which may be mounted upon blocks I2 and |3 for the sake of stability. At their upper ends the trestles are joined by suitableoverhead beams 14. These beams carry brackets l upon which are mounted and clamped track rails l6 and H, insulation l8 being interposed between the rails and the brackets. v

The crane car travels upon rails l6 and H. It

comprises two trucks l9 and 20, one on each side of the car, these trucks being attached to a plate 2| of insulation material. Each truck comprises an anglebar- 22 extending beneath insulation plate 2| and secured thereto by means of a bolt 23. Anglebar 22 carries a pair of spaced truck bars 24, between which are supported pivots for two wheels 25. The bolt 26 which supports bars 24 from anglebar 22 may also carry a resilient metal brush 21 to insure good electrical connec-' tion between the truck and the rail.

Insulation plate 2| is bored to receive a bolt 30. surrounding that bolt above plate 2| there is a spacing sleeve 3|. A nut 32 threaded on the bolt bears upon sleeve 3| to take the load of the car parts suspended by the bolt 30. Beneath plate 2| a second sleeve 33 surrounds bolt 35]. A bracket 34' of inverted U-shape is suspended beneath sleeve 33 by a nut 35 threaded upon the lower end of the bolt which projects through a hole 29 in the bracket. A second bracket 36 of peculiar form best illustrated in Fig. 3 is provided with a slot 31 loosely receiving sleeve 33. Bracket 36 rests upon bracket 34 and may have a limited amount of movement longitudinally of the track relative to bracket 34. In the depending arms of bracket 34 there is journaled a shaft 38 upon which is wound a cable 39, this shaft and cable constitut ing the crane hoist.

Near the upper ends of the trestles l0 and N there are cross braces 4i] and 4| which are perforated' to provide bearings for a screw shaft 42 and a square shaft 43. An internally threaded cylinder 44 hereinafter referred to as a nut 00-- operates with the threads on screw shaft 42. On the square shaft there is slidably mounted a worm 45 provided with a square hole to receive shaft l3',,so that the worm turns with the shaft but is free'to' move longitudinally upon it. While the shaft E3" is illustrated and referred to herein as a square shaft, that term is intended to include any' form of shaft which will transmit rotation to Worm while permitting travel of the worm upon the shaft. Bracket 36 has arms 46 which are soldered or otherwise joined to the ends of nut 44, so that the nut will be held against rotation and so that the bracket will move with the nut when the latter is impelled in one direction or the other by screw shaft '12. A yoke secured to bracket 34 embraces the ends of worm 45 and. thereby causes it to travel with the car lengthwise of the shafts. On one end of shaft 38 there is a worm wheel which meshes with worm for operation of the hoist. A pair of fingers 59 attached to yoke 4l serve to guide cable 39, and

additionally to form an abutment for a washer 50 surrounding the cable above a coil spring 5| which bears at its lower end against the upper surface of an electrically energized lifting magnet 52. It is therefore impossible for the heavy lifting magnet to strike sharply against the fingers 49 at the top of its travel, for the spring 5| brings it to a gradual stop.

Supported upon the cross brace 40 by bolts 53 and 54 are two electromagnets 55 and 56. A bracket 51 welded or soldered to brace 40 carries a pin 58 upon which an armature 59 is pivoted. At the ends of armature 59 there are hinged two angular arms 60 and BI, the inturned ends of which are provided with holes loosely receiving the shafts 42 and 43. Collars 62 and 63 are pinned to the shafts between the arms 60 and El and the adjacent ends of the shafts. The energization of one of the electromagnets 55 and 56 will swing armature 59. This results in moving the shafts 42 and 43 lengthwise in opposite directions. Fig. 2 for example shows the result of energizing magnet 55. This causes armature 59 to engage the extremity of shaft 42 and push the shaft toward the right. At the same time the inturned end of arm 6| by engagement with collar 53 pulls shaft 43 toward the left.

Shafts 42 and 43 at their right-hand ends have bevel gears 65 and 69 pinned thereto. These gears are adapted to mesh with bevel gears 61 and 68 respectively pinned to the outer ends of shaft 69. The latter shaft is driven through a set of reduction gears 10, II and 12, the latter gear being fixed to the shaft of a reversible electric motor 73. Hence by the selective energizetion of one or the other of electromagnets 55 and 56 either one of the shafts 42 may be shifted toward the right to bring its bevel gear into mesh with the corresponding bevel gear of transverse shaft 69, while the bevel gear of the other shaft is withdrawn from driving relation with shaft 69. The motor therefore can be caused to drive either shaft while the other remains stationary, and since the motor may be reversed either shaft may be turned in either direction.

Current for the energization of the lifting magnet 52 is supplied through a pair of flexible conductors l5 and I6 which extend upwardly to the bolts 23 of the car, and then through the trucks I9 and 20 to the rails I I and I8. To the right hand ends of the rails there are soldered conductors I7 and 18 which extend down through an insulating tube 79 along with other conductors to a multipoint socket in block I3. A corresponding multipoint plug 80 on the end of a multiwire flexible cord 8! can be removably mounted in this socket for connection with a control panel presently to be described. In the circuit for the lifting magnet there is a signal lamp 74.

Current for the electromagnets 55 and 56 is supplied by two conductors leading to the magnets and a return conductor, all three conductors being accommodated in a piece of insulation tubing 82 clipped to one of the beams I4. These conductors also extend downwardly through insulation tube 19 along with four conductors for the motor.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modified form of gear shift for selecting drive from the motor to one or the other of shafts 42 and 43. In this case the shaft of motor 13 carries a worm 85 which meshes with a worm wheel 64 slidably keyed to a transverse shaft 69' having bevel gears 61' and 68 on its ends adapted to engage one at a time with bevel gears 65 and 66 on the shafts 42 and .4 43. Shaft 69' is slidably and rotatably mounted in ears 86 struck out from one of the housing plates 81 of the motor, and slides within worm wheel 94 which is held against lengthwise movement with the shaft by the arms of a U-shaped bracket 14' soldered to housing plate 81.

A yoke 88, the upwardly extending arms of which are perforated to receive loosely shaft 69, engages the hubs of bevel gears 61' and 68', so that any motion of the yoke transversely of the crane is communicated to shaft 69. Fixed upon yoke 88 is a depending armature 89 disposed between a pair of aligned electromagnets .55 and 59' which are also supported upon housingplate 81. For the purpose of guiding yoke 88 I may. mount a metal band 90 upon one of the electromagnets, the ends of the band being directed upwardly on opposite sides of the yoke.

Obviously when one of the electromagnets 55' and 56 is energized the armature 89 will be attracted and the yoke 88 will shift transverse shaft 69' tofcause one of the bevel pinions 61' or 68' tomove into mesh with the corresponding bevel pinion on the shaft 42 or 43, as the case may be. In this instance the two latter shafts are held against longitudinal movement by suitable means such as collars 9I pinned to the shafts on opposite sides of brace 4|.

At the upper end of bolt 30 I mount a cap 92 having a perforation receiving the projecting upper end of the bolt. A nut 93 threaded on the end of the bolt serves to hold the cap removably in place. In the first described form of the invention the electromagnets 55 and 56 with their armatureand associated parts may be covered by a. casing 94 removably attached by any suitable means to the trestle I 0. At the opposite end of the crane a casing 95 removably attached to trestle I I conceals and protects the motor, the transverse shaft 69 and the gearing for driving the latter shaft. This casing may have a window therein through which the signal lamp I4 is visible, as illustrated in Fig. 1. A similar housing may be used to protect and conceal the motor and gear shift mechanism of the second described form of the invention.

In Fig. 9 a control panel is indicated at 95. Upon it I mount a single pole, single throw switch 96 for controlling the lifting magnet circuit, a single pole, double throw switch 9! for selectively conducting current through one or the other of gear shifting electromagnets 55 and 56, and a double point, double throw switch 98 for reversing the current through motor 73 or 13' as the case may be. On the control panel there is mounted also a push button switch 99 for stopping and starting the motor. I00 and IM represent binding posts to which are to be connected the low voltage side of a step-down transformer.

Two conductors I02 and I03 extend from the brushes of motor 13 to the reversing switch 98. Current enters the latter switch through conductors 18 and I04 and leaves through a conductor I 05 which extends to one of the field terminal's' of vthe motor. .From the other field terminal a conductor I06 leads to like ends of the coils of the two electromagnets 55 and 56. From the 9pposite ends of these coils conductors I01 and I08 lead to opposite points of the double throw switch 91, while from the pivot point of that switch a conductor I09 extends to one binding post of push button 99. The other post of the push button is connected by a conductor IIO with switch 96 and by conductor III with'ter minal I00.

The operation of the mechanism by means of the illustrated controls is 'slmple and effective. Assuming that the selector switch 91 is set to cause energization of electromagnet- 55 by way of conductors It! and I06, and that the reversing switch 98 is set to produce rotation of the motor shaft in a given direction,- then as soon as the operator closes push button switch 99 armature 59 will be swung to the position illus='- trated in Fig. 2 and shaft 4-2 will be pushed to the right to cause'bevel pinions 65 and 161 to mesh. The resulting rotation of shaft 42' willfunction through the nut 44 to drive the car in a direc tion determined by the direction of rotation" of the shaft.

When the car hastrav'eled to thedesir'ed point the operator opens push button switch 99' and the motor stops. He may then throw switch 9'? to the opposite position, after which he may close push button switch 99 causing magnet 56 to be energized through conductors I98 and )6, which will swing armature 59 from the illustrated position of Fig. 2 to its opposite extreme, thereby pulling shaft 42 to the left to disengage gears 65 and 61 and pushing shaft 43 toward the right to cause gears 6'6 and 68 to mesh. Worm 45 will thus be turned, which will rotate worm wheel A8, thereby turning shaft 38 slowly and either winding up or unwindin cable 39 depend ing upon the directionof rotation of the motor and the consequent rotation of shaft 43. Assuming that the direction is such'as to lower magnet 52, the operator may continue the lowering operation of the hoist until the lifting magnet is directly above some object made of ferrous metal which the operator desires to move. He then opens the push button switch, which stops the operation of the hoist. The operator can then close switch 96, which will energize magnet 52 and signal lamp I l. The lifting magnet will then grip the object to be moved. The operator may now throw the reversing switch 98 to the opposite position and close push button 99, when the hoist will operate to raise the lifting magnet and the object held thereupon. Having completed the upward movement of the lifting magnet to the desired extent the operator may open the push button switch, throw the selector switch 91 to the other position, thereby again bringing th gears 85 and 61 into mesh, when the car may be caused to travel in one direction or theoth'er as desired. By operations which will now be obvious the load may be carried to the desired point, lowered by' the hoist and released by opening the switch 96. While the use of a lifting magnet on the lower end of cable 39 is preferred, any type of load support such as a hook may be substituted therefor.

The operation of the gear shift of the second form of the invention functionsin a similar manner, as will be readily understood. The movement of transverse shaft 69 in one direction or the other will cause the wide faced worm wheel 64 to slide through the teeth of worm 85, there being sufficient play in these gears to permit such action whether or not the worm is turning at the time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a toy crane, a square shaft and a screw shaft rotatably mounted in parallel relation, a motor, driving connections from said motor comprising clutch means selectively operable by remote control for turning one or the other of said shafts, a car having a non-rotating nut for engagement with said screw shaft to move the car lengthwise of said shafts, a gear slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said-square shaft} said car also having a yoke embracing said" gear, whereby the gear travels with the" car, a'- hoist carried by said car, and hoist operating mechanism driven by said gear.

In a toy crane, a square shaft and a screw shaft rotatably mounted in parallel relation; 2; motor, driving connections fromsaidmotor comprising clutch means selectively operable" by remote control for turning one or the other of said shafts, a car having a non-rotating nut-for en: gagement with said screw shaft to move thecar lengthwise of said shafts, a worm slidably" and non-rotatably mounted on said square shaft, said car also having a yoke embracing said worm; whereby the worm travels with the car, and said car having aworm wheel in mesh with said wori'n; ashaft journaled in said car upon which said worm wheel is fixed, a cable woundupon said last named shaft, and a load supporting elemental; the lower end of said'cable.

3. In a toy crane, a square shaft andascrew shaft rotatably mounted in parallel relation-,- a motor, a transverse shaft disposed at one end of said crane and driven by said motor, bevel gears on the ends-of said transverse shaft, a bevel gear on the adjacent end of each of said squareah'd screw shafts, remote control means for selective-'- 1y causing one only of said last named bevel-gears to mesh with a bevel gear on said transverse shaft, a car having a non-rotating nut fo'r engagement with said screw shaft to move the car lengthwise of said shafts, a gear slidably and nonrotatably mounted on said square shaft arranged to move with said car, a hoist carried by said car, and hoist operating mechanism driven by said gear.

4;, A toy crane as defined in claim 3, character ized in that said transverse shaft is mountedto slide lengthwise and in that the meshing of one or the other of apair of bevel gears is effected by shifting said transverse shaft longitudinally.

5. A toy crane as defined in claim 3, character'- ized in that said square shaft and said screw shaft are mounted to slide lengthwise and in that the meshing of one or the other pair of bevel gears is effected by shifting said square and screw shafts in opposite directions simultaneously.

6. A toy-crane as defined in claim 1, whereinsaid remote control means comprises an electromagnet and a shift mechanism adapted to be operated by said electromagnet, an electric circuit for said electromagnet, and a manual switch controlling said circuit.

'7. In a toy crane, two spaced trestles, an elevated track'comprising two rails carried thereby and insulated therefrom, a square shaft and a screw shaft parallel to said track, a car provided with separately insulated trucks runningu'pon said rails, a motor supported upon one of said trestles, remote control means for causing said motor to turn one or the other of said shafts, a hoist carried by said car, a non-rotatable nut carried by said car engaging said screw shaft for propelling the car on said track, a gear slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said square shaft constrained to move with the car, an electromagnet suspended from said hoist, mechanism driven by said gear for operating said hoist and an electric circuit for energizing said electromagnet comprising said rails, said trucks and a pair of flexible conductors extending from said trucks to said electromagnet.

8. In a toy crane, a traveling car, a hoist on said car, propelling means for said car comprising a screwshaft, operating means for said hoist comprising a square shaft, a reversible electric motor, gear shift means for connecting either of said shafts to said motor, a pair of electromagnets for operating said gear shift means, said electromagnets being connected in parallel circuits, a remote control panel having a connection to a power line and connections to said motor and said electromagnets, said panel having a switch for reversing said motor, a switch for selecing one or the other of said electromagnet circuits and a switch for starting and stopping said motor, whereby the car may be started in either direction and stopped and whereby the hoist may be started up or down and stopped.

9. A toy crane as definedrin claimS, comprising also a lifting magnet suspended from said hoist, circuit connections from said panel to said lifting magnet independent of said motor and said electromagnet circuits, and a switchon said panel for controlling said lifting magnet circuit connections.

10. In atoy crane, the combination of, an elevated track, trestle structure including spaced apart uprights supporting said track, a hoist, a carrier supporting said hoist movable along said track, a threaded shaft for impelling said carrier flanking said track rotatably supported by said structure, a thread follower on said carrier operably engaging said impelling shaft in a manner to translate rotary movement of the latter into rectilinear movement of said carrier along said track, a power shaft for motivating said hoist flanking said track and rotatably supported by said structure, a driven gear rotatably supported by said carrier operatively connected to said hoist, a driving gear in mesh with said driven gear slidably carried by said shaft in rotatably interlocked relation thereto, a constrainer on said carrier engaging said driving gear in a manner to maintain the same in mesh with'said driven gear in various positions along said power shaft, and means for turning said shafts in either rotary direction at will. 1

11. In a toy crane, the combination defined in claim 10, together with a prime mover, and clutch mechanism for transmitting power therefrom to each of the said shafts selectively, said mechanism including separate driven clutch sections connected to rotate said shafts respectively and at least one driving clutch element connected to be powered by said prime mover constructed and arranged to engage with either of said driven clutch elements.

12. In a toy crane, the combination defined in claim 11, together with a clutch operating electro-magnet including an armature connected to cause clutching and unclutching relative movement between said driving clutch element and said driven clutch elements.

13. In-a toy crane, the combination of, an elevated track, trestle structure supporting said track, a hoist, a carrier supporting said hoist movable along said track, a prime mover, motion transmitting mechanism operatively connected to said carrier, power transmitting mechanism operatively connected to said hoist, and a clutch for transmitting motion and power to each of said mechanisms selectively, said clutch including separate driven clutch sections operatively connected to said mechanisms respectively and at least one driving clutch section operably connected to said prime mover constructed and arranged to engage with either of said driven clutch sections.

14. In a toy crane, a square shaft and a screw shaft rotatably mounted in parallel relation, a reversible electric motor, driving connections from said motor to said shafts comprising an electrically operable clutch means for each of said shafts, a car having a non-rotating nut for engagement with said screw shaft to move the car lengthwise of said shafts, a gear slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said square shaft, said car also having a yoke embracing said gear, whereby the gear travels with the car, a hoist carried by the car, hoist operating mechanism driven by said gear, a remote control panel, means thereon for energizing either of said clutch means selectively, and means on said panel for reversing current flow through said motor.

15. In a toy crane, a square shaft and a screw shaft rotatably mountedin parallel relation, a reversible electric motor, driving connections from said motor to said shafts comprising an electrically operable clutch means for each shaft, a car having a non-rotating nut for engagement with said screw shaft to move the car lengthwise of said shafts, a gear slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said square shaft, said car also having a yoke embracing said gear, whereby the gear travels with the car, a hoist carried by the car comprising an electromagnet, hoist operating mechanism driven by said gear, a remote control panel, means thereon for energizing either of said clutch means selectively, for energizing or deenergizing said electromagnet and for reversing current flow through said motor.

FRED I-I. STICKLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 906,561 Reid Dec. 15. 1908 2,254,083 Nickles et a1 Aug. 26, 1941 2,391,881 Clay Jan. 1, 1946 

